Damaged Drains & Rising Damp

By: admin | Posted on: June 19, 2020

When trying to assertain the cause of any potential rising damp issues, it is imperative that all possible causes are identified and eliminated before coming to a conclusion. A common cause of rising damp issues can be because of surface drainage problems, high ground levels, and even blocked and damaged drains. Drains are something that are rarely investigated in regards to causing rising damp issues by damp surveyors, this is because of the cost of the drain CCTV equipment compared to damp meters etc. The below British Standard BS 6576:2005 (Code of practice for diagnosis of rising damp in walls of buildings and installation of chemical damp – proof courses) states what you should be eliminating before coming to a conclusion with regards to the diagnosis of rising damp.

The below screenshot from British Standard BS 6576:2005 section 4.2.1.3 d, states particular attention should be paid to faulty drains. Have you had your drains checked as part of your damp survey?

One piece of equipment that we use to identify drain defects is our CCTV drain camera inspection kit, along with our drain jetting, and cleaning equipment. This takes a damp survey to another level, and using this equipment along with our other damp surveying equipment it gives us complete confidence that we can solve any damp issue.

I have seen many rising damp issues having the symptoms treated, rather than finding the actual cause.

If you have damp stains at the base of the wall, you would benefit from a drain survey along with quantitative gravimetric moisture analysis following the BRE DIGEST 245, as per the below screenshot of the British Standard BS 6576:2005 (Code of practice for diagnosis of rising damp in walls of buildings and installation of chemical damp – proof courses). See 4.2.1.1 note 2.

Obviously we don’t offer free damp surveys. What we offer is a damp survey that will eliminate issues to give the client the correct advice. With this advice we can then offer repairs in regards to the defects identified.